10 June 2014

Custom SharePoint Workflow Button

SharePoint workflows save valuable time when a particular sequence of tasks has to be performed often. These workflows can be run manually or automatically. I have described automatic workflows in several Tips articles on the kalmstrom.com website, but now we have also added an article on how to create a SharePoint ribbon button that executes a workflow.

No button – several steps
When there is no button to execute a manual workflow, users might get irritated with the steps involved in running it. Maybe these steps have to be performed again and again for every document and item inside SharePoint libraries and lists.

Button – one step
If you want to use a manually run workflow, the best way is to have a custom SharePoint button that executes it. Then users just have to press a button in the SharePoint ribbon when they want to start the workflow. Such a button can be created in SharePoint Designer.

Modify or create workflowIn the kalmstrom.com Tips article on how to create a SharePoint workflow button, I walk through the process of how to first modify an existing automatic workflow and then use a custom action to add a SharePoint ribbon button that executes the modified workflow. You may of course also first create a workflow from scratch and then add a button that runs it.

Add button image To make the custom SharePoint button more attractive and easier to recognize, you can add an icon to it. This is the last step in the demo below, and in the kalmstrom.com Tips article about a custom SharePoint button you can find a step by step description of the whole process. I hope you will find it useful!